We are the greatest nation in the world, and I’m pleased the government shutdown is over. However, with budget talks underway, we cannot afford any cuts to important programs like Medicare Advantage. As a 90-year-old woman who’s in good health, I have no complaints about my Medicare Advantage plan and hope it will continue to provide excellent coverage.

When I fell last February and broke my arm, my insurance really came through for me. I depend on my plan, and partly because of it, I am now able to play piano at the church again. As a former businesswoman, I think hospitals need to keep prices down to where customers can pay them.

I go to my doctor every six months, and he understands my situation. So far, I haven’t had my insurance turned down, and I don’t know what I’d do if my doctors stopped accepting it. My beloved husband of 63 years passed away four years ago, and my income dropped by $1,000 a month. I depend on my insurance, and if costs go up too much, I fear I won’t be able to pay my bills.

Senior citizens have worked hard all our lives and paid taxes to support important programs like Medicare Advantage. It’s not fair for us to have to worry about the program losing any more funding. We need our legislators to do whatever it takes to prevent additional cuts to the Medicare Advantage program when the new federal budget is created.

Lenora Titsworth

Russellville

Thanks, Western Sizzlin’

I would like to give my thanks to Western Sizzlin’ for their dinner to veterans on Veterans Day!

F.A. Becker

Dover

East 16th Street

Progress or regress? What used to be a three-lane street, center lane for left turn, is now a two-lane street with two bicycle lanes. This is a very busy street with trucks, school buses and traffic going and coming to the industries located on the east side of town. How is traffic going to move smoothly when the car in front has to wait in order to make a left turn? Maybe someone smarter than I am can make sense of this. I think we are regressing. Please consider making this a three-lane street again.

Charles L Hurley

Russellville

Reconsider new lanes on East 16th

The work on our city streets which is much needed and appreciated by those of us who travel them on a daily basis. I live on a very busy street that was recently resurfaced. Work traffic as well as school traffic uses this street daily. It functioned very well with two lanes and a much-needed turn lane. Now the street is only two lanes with two wide bike lanes on either side. The congestion will be unimaginable, not to mention the added danger for our school children. Please reconsider this change and restore East 16th Street to three lanes.